


This is...good?

by fandomfix



Series: you'll make your real friends and set yourselves apart [5]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Friendship, Gen, halloween parties are basically frat parties, pre-Kylux, there's like two swear words in here if that somehow bothers you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 16:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7471497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomfix/pseuds/fandomfix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Halloween is coming and so Phasma and Hux invite Kylo to the Slytherin Halloween party. Also, the boys aren't pretending to hate each other anymore.</p><p>Phasma is proud of their progress.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is...good?

**Author's Note:**

> When writing out the party itself, I essentially ended up just describing the fraternity parties I went to in college.
> 
> when you have access to booze and food and a place that's open for parties, the world is your oyster.

Kylo was sitting at their table.

Normally this might bother Hux, but it was too early for anything right now. He was sitting in a sea of silver and green in his atrocious Gryffindor tie, trying to look like he belonged there.

And alright, Hux could admit— _privately_ —that it made more sense for Kylo to be here than for him to be at his own table.

But still, it wasn’t every day a bloody lion sat with them and a small part of Hux’s mind was freaking out over it.

Most of him was focusing on keeping the staring to a minimum.

It had been a few weeks now since the quidditch match that caused the damage to Kylo’s face.

‘ _No, don’t be a coward. Since_ you _caused the damage to Kylo’s face.’_ Hux thought.

He tried to ignore it. It didn’t do to dwell on things you cannot change, and Kylo refused to treat it like it made him any different. It did make him look a little more threatening. And Hux would be the first to admit that he looked less like a child now and more like the man he was becoming. It didn’t make the guilt that refused to die any quieter though.

A burst of air rushed by him and a voice right by his ear said, “Kylo, welcome!”

Hux looked to see Phasma collapsing next to him, as pleasant as she ever was this early in the morning.

“Hi Phasma,” Kylo’s deep voice came from his other side. “It’s nice to see someone who knows what conversation is in the morning. I haven’t even gotten a grunt out of this one.” He pointed at Hux and Phasma laughed, sounding much more chipper than she normally would before she’d eaten breakfast.

“Oh that’s just Hux. Until he has food in him, getting words to come out of that mouth is like pulling teeth.”

He needed better friends. Or just no friends. That actually sounded even nicer.

He let their voices drift around him while he focused on eating, trying to ignore the eyes on their backs. The eyes he could feel all around them. It wasn’t unheard of for Slytherins and Gryffindors to be friends, but it was uncommon. Considering Kylo didn’t have many friends to begin with, it was easy to see why they still got stares even after almost two months of friendship.

Hux wished they wouldn’t. He liked others to look at his accomplishments, not the company he kept.

“So, got any plans for the weekend?” He heard Phasma asking.

“Not really, no.” Kylo answered. “Should I?”

Phasma looked aghast. Hux wished that Kylo hadn’t asked.

“ _Should you!?_ Of course you should! It’s Halloween! And we’re at a magic school! You’ve got to be doing something exciting!”

He tried to keep the smile off his face. Phasma loved Halloween and it was one of the only times of year that either of them enjoyed their housemates.

Every year after the Halloween feast, the Slytherins hosted a party in their common room. While it was _technically_ open to everyone, it was well understood that if you didn’t get asked to come, you would not be allowed to enter.

There was drinking and sweets smuggled in from Hogsmeade. Someone would dig out music from whatever corners they could, meaning there was a strange amalgamation of muggle and wizard music.

Phasma and Hux loved it. And Kylo didn’t even know it existed.

He forced his mind back to the present so he could listen to the discussion continuing over his head.

“I usually just go up to the astronomy tower.”

“What in the world do you do up there on Halloween. _Halloween,_ Kylo!”

He was starting to wonder how many times she would say that word in this conversation.

“I go up and do what everyone does on top of the astronomy tower, Phasma!” He huffed. Hux smirked, knowing exactly what was going to come next.

“So you go up there and make out? Cause I can’t think of any other reason you’d be up there. Especially on the best night of the year.”

He didn’t even dignify her with an answer, instead catching Hux’s eye and rolling his own. He had to work hard to keep the laughter out of his voice as he finally decided to join in.

“Phasma, if you’re so worried about him having nothing to do, why don’t you invite him to the party?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, before standing up. He knew she did it mostly to tower over them, as if she didn’t already even when sitting down.

“I was already planning to, Hux my dear. Although I don’t see why you couldn’t since you’ve just brought it up.” The she turned toward Kylo. “Come to the Slytherin party this Saturday. It’s a much better way to spend your Halloween. Better than _not_ making out on the astronomy tower, anyway.”

Then she flounced off, Kylo watching her go in amazement.

“I don’t know where exactly she’s planning to go,” Hux said, pulling Kylo’s attention back to him. “Class doesn’t begin for another twenty minutes and she never shows up early for History of Magic.”

The boys immediately caught eyes and Kylo threw his head back, laughing. The warm feeling in Hux’s stomach grew by a sliver.

*

The week breezed by. Between classes and club meetings and practices, Kylo’s insistence on sitting with them for breakfast was a blessing. It was the only time they saw each other.

The stares were becoming less hostile, although they were still confused most of the time.

Soon enough, it was Saturday and time for the Halloween feast. Normally Hux stayed behind in the common room to help set up for the party. While it meant he had to deal with people who weren’t Phasma, it also meant that no one got on his case if he went to bed early. But with Kylo coming, he decided to be there to walk down with him.

Plus, the food was always excellent when it was a special occasion.

Soon enough, everyone was finishing up and wishing each other a good night. Hux went to stand outside the Great Hall, choosing to stay as close to the dungeons as possible. When the other two came strolling out, he was relieved to get moving.

There was already a moderate amount of people in the common room when they arrived. The party didn’t officially start until a half hour after the feast, but if you wanted to enjoy yourself at all, you showed up _early._ It gave enough time to find the best sitting spots and get used to the ridiculous crowd of people who were going to show up. It was less overwhelming, something he was sure Kylo would appreciate.

“Well, this is… _different._ ” Kylo commented as they walked in.

The common room really was a sight for these parties.

Someone had done something to the porthole windows to make them gauzy and ethereal looking. There was a faint mist that smelled strangely of apples wafting through the air. And someone had even figured out how to make a few jack-o-lanterns float.

“I’m gonna go put on some sort of costume. One of us has to at least pretend they care about this holiday.” Phasma said, splitting off from the two of them to go and change.

Hux wasn’t concerned about his outfit. Halloween wasn’t on a weekday this year, so he’d just put on his clothes before going to dinner. He was wearing fitted black trousers and a crisp green button-down. Draped over his shoulders was a long coat his mother gave him for his most recent birthday. His hair was still slicked back, but not as severely as normal, allowing for some movement. He couldn’t stand the hair falling in his face, but he’d been informed it made him look ‘softer and even more bloody attractive, fuck you very much.’

Phasma was always good for honest compliments.

If anyone asked him he was a muggle actor. Hardly anyone here would know how to fact-check that.

Kylo hadn’t tried at all.

He was in his same black pants he wore every day, the same black cloak hanging off him like a curtain. The only things different were a light gloss that shone on his lips and a small circlet resting in his hair.

“I’m royalty. That’s all you need to worry about.” He responded, after Hux asked him what on earth he was wearing.

“You’re an arse is what you are.”

The two of them found a prime spot for sitting and began observing the people entering the party. There were several in full costumes, and also some who had tried about as hard as the two of them had. The music began playing and soon it turned into the type of party it was every year. People flailing about in some stupid manner and drinking like imbeciles. People making out in dark corners with whoever showed the slightest bit of interest.

There would be a lot of avoided eye contact come Monday.

When Phasma finally arrived, almost an hour after the party started, they had nearly given up on her. They were discussing muggle television, something Kylo had a strange amount of knowledge about. Hux knew nothing, but he’d made the mistake of asking about a reference Kylo made. It was a relief to turn and see his other friend coming across the room.

She was wearing fake armor and carrying a frankly terrifying sword. He hoped it was fake because otherwise he had concerns about allowing her to drink tonight. While she held her liquor well, she also had a tendency to get physical when tipsy. He didn’t think she should be near weaponry if that happened.

She collapsed next to them, immediately cutting Kylo off.

“Boys, have either of you done anything fun since I left?”

“Yes,” Kylo responded. Hux truly believed that one of the reasons Phasma liked him so much was that he was more of a talker than Hux. Neither of them did a lot of talking, but Kylo always answered you. Even if the answer was obnoxious and annoying, he never ignored you.

Hux had ignoring people down to an art form.

“I went and got us drinks a while ago.” Kylo continued. “You had one too, Phasma, but Hux drank it because we thought you were never coming back.”

He got up immediately afterward, going to fetch her a drink. She shook her head, but a smile played on her lips.

“What _are_ you wearing, Phasma. Please tell me that none of that is real.”

She looked at him, her head nodding along to the music.

“I am a knight and I will cut your balls off with my sword if you disrespect me, so keep your comments to yourself.”

He noticed she hadn’t answered him about the authenticity of her costume. He decided he was better off not knowing.

They stayed there for hours. Judging the terrible quality of people’s costumes, drinking and eating more than was healthy. Phasma kept trying and failing to get them to go out and dance with her. Eventually, Kylo started talking about that horrid television show again. However, with Phasma able to keep him entertained, Hux wasn’t expected to listen.

He found himself watching his two friends. It was strange how quickly Kylo had become a part of their group. They’d had classes together for years now, but he didn’t understand what was so special about this year. What caused them to be drawn together?

His attention turned to Kylo’s scar again. He’d been told repeatedly not to blame himself, and he understood why they said it. In fact, he actually didn’t feel guilty about causing the scar anymore. What he felt guilty about was everyone trying to convince him what happened wasn’t his fault.

Because it was. Just because no one blamed him didn’t make it less true that his actions directly led to that scar.

The other boy looked up and caught his eye. It dragged him back to the present enough to realize that both of them were staring at him.

“Hux?” Kylo questioned, tilting his head. “Did you hear anything we just said?”

He refused to feel sheepish; especially when it was obvious they knew he hadn’t been listening.

“I think it’s past Hux’s bedtime.” Phasma said, getting up to walk toward where the party was still going strong. “Don’t wait up boys, I’m gonna pull a Kylo and go ‘sit in the astronomy tower.’” She winked and strode away from them.

They both smiled after her, before turning and staring at each other.

“I think I’m gonna head back too,” Kylo said, hesitating. Hux didn’t know what exactly it could be that he wanted, but he made a split second decision to be a good person for once. Phasma would be so proud.

“I’ll walk you back to the tower.”

“I’m perfectly capable of finding my way to a place where I’ve lived for six years, Hux.”

They both stood up, Hux waving his hand in dismissal. “I know that. I simply don’t want to hear it from Phasma for letting you wander the corridors late at night.”

He didn’t seem to know how to respond to that, so the two of them began the trek back to Gryffindor tower together. The sudden silence after leaving the party was jolting, and neither of them spoke for the first couple minutes.

Eventually, Hux had to ask something that had been bothering him all week.

“Alright, you have to tell me. What _do_ you do in the astronomy tower?”

He looked over at Kylo, watching the boy’s ears turn bright pink.

“Oh Merlin, do you actually go up there to make out with people. Please forget I asked, if you do.”

“No!” He shouted, turning to make sure they hadn’t attracted attention. The blush had spread across his entire face at this point.

“No,” he continued, his voice lowering. He sighed. “You have to promise not to laugh. I already know it’s stupid and I don’t need you to tell me.”

He nodded. He refused to make any promises like that, but it seemed to be enough for Kylo.

“I go up there…to look at the stars.”

Hux raised his eyebrow.

“The stars?” He couldn’t quite keep the incredulity out of his voice.

Kylo was so red he might faint, and they were entering the hallway where the portrait that hid his common room was. Still, he didn’t rush ahead to go inside and escape this conversation.

“Yes.” There was another moment of hesitation, before he finally blurted out the full answer.

“When I was little, my grandfather would take me outside on Halloween and we’d look at stars together. He’d name them for me and point out ones my grandmother had liked before she passed. I just…” He ran his fingers through his hair, fiddling absently with the circlet. “He died when I was still pretty young, but I just never stopped doing it. Eventually I taught myself a lot of them and I just…like going up there. I don’t have a lot of happy memories but looking at the stars with him is one of them.”

He trailed off, looking awkward and embarrassed. Hux didn’t know what to say.

So he said nothing. He walked forward, squeezing Kylo's shoulder. When the other boy looked up at him in surprise, he smiled as kindly as he was able.

He didn’t know what he was trying to communicate, but Kylo seemed to understand either way. He smiled as well, before pulling back and walking the final steps to his common room.

Hux stood and watched him disappear, before turning to make the journey back. Despite Phasma’s joke, he actually was exhausted. It was time to sleep and put this whole night behind him for another year.

And if he stopped halfway down to look out a window at the night sky, there was no one around but the portraits to see him.

**Author's Note:**

> I most definitely made a Game of Thrones reference there and I'm not even a little ashamed. Also Hux is starting to develop _feelings_ but obviously they're just friend feelings. 
> 
> Obviously.
> 
> Come say hi on our tumblrs! [fandomfix](http://fandomfix8.tumblr.com) and [frapandfurious](http://obsessions-and-dreams.tumblr.com)


End file.
